Google want more engagement from its users when developping new products.

http://www.beet.tv/2008/07/google-labs-set.html

Excellent initiative, very relevant as Google becomes the only real Web Giant (nothing better than openning up its plants, to keep flexibility and users' satisfaction).

But I doubt Google Groups help Google Teams to get fresh ideas, and a efficient Environment Scanning System may be quite difficult to leverage due to microblogging's noise. What about bringing every Google Fans in a single place? Oh, something like Blogoscoped.com!